Storm
by kleptokalon
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke were suddenly flung back in time, to when they were 6 years old. But why? They had just been fighting, the Tenseigan still fresh in their minds when something told them that the shinobi world needed guides, and they were perfect for the job. Problem is, they both came back with one arm. Another Naruto time-travel fanfiction!
1. Calm Before the Storm

_**Disclaimer: * Insert snarky and original disclaimer statement*I don't own Naruto.**_

 _ **Warnings: Language, violence, child ninjas, brief mentions of torture etc.**_

 _ **Chapter 1-**_

 _ **Word Count- 5000**_

 _ **Calm before the Storm**_

 _Stormy Night, October 10th_

The water tumbled downstream, crashing against the banks of the river, cascading down the boulders oppressing its persistent flow. The glittering half-moon peered through the canopy of trees, making the clear water sparkle, reflecting the stars of the midnight sky. Below the tall trees, beside the river banks, was the thick undergrowth of Konohagakure's forest. Layers of green barely visible in the dim moonlight covered the ground, vines of some climbing the trunks of the ancient trees.

The forest gave no sound as it swayed in a violent breeze. There was no hint of the forest's tenants, no rustle of a tail or call to a mate. There was a light musty smell, reminders of the raging storm approaching. It filled the heavy air as a warning to all. Beware.

It coiled through the trees and winding paths, following a single, intertwining direction. To the village. A village, where tonight, were celebrating the death of a demon.

Their chants of victory and demonic ideas echoed to the skies and the clouds that were forming, as if a beckoning to the storm, as if asking for a rampage of lightning and thunder.

Amidst the blanket of silence that steadily laid itself over the village in waiting, the storm struck. And as it struck, two twin streaks slammed into Konoha.

 _An awakening._

* * *

A young child ran from his angry pursuers, completely numb and exhausted from his travel through time. He had hoped to appear somewhere safe. At the edge of a drunken crowd was certainly not safe. Especially in his case. His first thought was to find Sasuke, but when the drunks caught sight of him... well, escaping these people was top priority. Unfortunately, he and Sasuke will mostly be immobile for the next month to recover, and it would be a long time before they were back near the strength they had before they travelled, at 19 years of age.

Naruto and Sasuke had no idea how or why they were sent back. The only inclination was an unknown figure that had summoned them to a different dimension, or limbo. It stated that the Shinobi world needed strong guides to lead and protect them, and that the reincarnations of Indra and Asura were perfect for the job. And then they were sent back without warning, memories still fresh with the Tenseigan confuzzle.

So here he was, running on adrenaline alone, trying to get to the Uchiha compound because that was his only chance at survival. Sasuke was probably trying to explain his nightmare and incinerated arm to his family. Their disfigurements had come back with them, and Naruto had lost his replacement arm. Everything was off-balance, and that made running all the harder. The civilians and Shinobi alike were closing in, speed fuelled by misplaced anger and grief.

The tiredness he'd pushed aside was rapidly filling in again. In the haze of his wariness he made a crucial mistake.

The screams of enraged villagers clouded his choice and he took a wrong turn, still imagining this to be the new Konoha, despite the obvious differences. Everything became a blur in his closed eyes and confused mind. Pain flashed through his head and down his neck. But even that cursed slash was barely there. While his left side burned in pain and right side registered nothing, Naruto called out one last time.

"SASUKE!"

No one came.

* * *

"NARUTO!"

Sasuke tried to escape the arms that restrained him. He clawed his hand over his brother's arms and screamed again. His father was yelling in annoyance, trying to stop his rampaging, injured son from escaping. The night had been loud with both the bustling village and dangerous storm. But when Sasuke first started shrieking in agonised pain, everything took a turn for the worst. Itachi came shortly before his parents; right as Sasuke slammed the door open, filled with terror. The horror on his face, and the blood dripping down from red and purple eyes pushed Itachi to make a move.

His older brother got behind him and wrapped his arms around his body. He could feel the chakra flowing to his eyes. Mangekyou and Rinnegan eyes. Itachi had seen them, the blood dripping down his face, and arm gone with no trace left behind. He cut off the chakra flow, deactivating both eyes. The tiredness rushed in again at the absence of chakra, what little adrenaline he had left leaving fast.

He was stressing out, panting and thrashing, scaring Itachi. He was out of his mind, trying to escape his brother's grasp and save his friend.

"NARUTO! Please let me go!" Sasuke tried, blood staining Itachi's arms with crimson. "I need to help him- I can't help him... he needs me but I'M NOT THERE!"

Itachi refused to let go as Fugaku failed to calm the screaming boy. He didn't want to use a sleeping jutsu on him, but at the rate his father's efforts were going, someone needed to do it.

So he mumbled a quick sorry and did it as best he could, holding his unconscious brother and slipping to the floor. Mikoto dropped beside him and examined Sasuke's eyes. From what Itachi could see, his parents hadn't caught a glance of Sasuke's unusual eyes. He must have deactivated them somehow. But the blood was still there, coating his face and splattered on his torso.

"His arm?" Fugaku inquired. Itachi just shook his head and continued to gaze at his brother. How could Sasuke know of Naruto? How had any of this happened? A nightmare? No, no nightmare could cause someone to both awaken and evolve the Sharingan. But if it wasn't that, how? How had his arm disappeared without a trace and no wound left behind?

* * *

Naruto lay motionless and starving, at the end of the abandoned alleyway. No one had come to help him. The only one who would bother was Sasuke, but he was also out of action. This month of recuperating the figure had mentioned had no end.

In addition to the temporary loss of mobility came taxing fevers and chills. So Naruto felt cold all over, shivering and sweating, and unable to look after himself.

The laceration that went from above his left eyebrow to collarbone had only stopped bleeding two nights ago. But even with his heightened healing, Naruto felt an infection coming on. It was the most serious injury. Apart from that were numerous small cuts and bruises lacing his arm. He hadn't eaten anything in at least a week. The Uzumaki stamina must be the only thing keeping him alive right now. Kurama was still asleep and regenerating, silenced by the source that sent them spiraling back through time.

For an entire week, Naruto could do nothing but starve and stare at an empty void.

* * *

Sasuke was in a similar predicament, except that he was not starving and most certainly not alone. Itachi stayed with him whenever he could, replacing the wet towel on his forehead with a new one and sitting with him during the cold nights. When it wasn't his brother, Mikoto spent her waking hours with him, and also working around the compound. She helped him bathe and eat, among other things too embarrassing to think about.

It was difficult to keep his emotions in check when someone was with him. After all, they were supposed to be dead.

He couldn't escape Itachi's observant eyes though. He noticed the strange mix of emotions, Sasuke's silent nightmares and just as silent calls for someone. But Sasuke was unable to speak well, thus couldn't answer his rarely pressed questions.

After the first week and a half, Sasuke managed to ask a well-needed favour.

"Can... you find s-someone for me?" he asked. Itachi brought his attention from a book to him, brow raised questioningly. He let out a hesitant chuckle and continued, "Naruto." Itachi sighed and nodded. How Sasuke knew of the container was beyond him, but he didn't doubt his instincts. This was something he needed to do.

As he began to leave, Sasuke stopped him with one last warning. "No one can see you."

Itachi looked back at him. "Hai, Otouto."

* * *

Any elite Shinobi should have noticed Itachi snooping around the village. But being the prodigy he was, no one could trace the Uchiha unless he let them. As it was, the only ones capable of that were the Sandaime and his captain, Kakashi.

Itachi spent many hours searching every possible alley for the Jinchuriki. He couldn't ask for help or information, as that would only bring unwanted attention and suspicion. Not that that would be any worse than after Shisui's death. He shook his head and turned into one more street before he retired for the night.

At first, it was just as silent as all the others he'd searched. Until he heard a slight grumble, like a stomach calling out in hunger. He activated his Sharingan and spotted a small bundle of red and white hidden behind crates and garbage. He crossed over to it, shuffling aside the crates to get a better view. His careful mask betrayed no emotion as he examined Naruto.

He crouched beside the boy and took account for all his wounds. His eyes flickered in concern at the largest gash and the empty eye socket. The villagers had done some damage, all right. He needed to treat the boy, and the best place to do so was in the forest or an abandoned training ground. End of Training Ground Seven it is. It was when Itachi shunshinned them to their destination that he saw the stump Naruto had for a right arm. No sign of a wound, just like Sasuke.

He lay him down at the base of a tree and checked for more clues. An unstable fever that any normal person would succumb to. He was wracking with a terrible chill and now that he looked closer, Itachi could see every rib and collarbone through his shirt. Itachi's eyes widened. If the incident was related with Sasuke's, then he must have been like this for two weeks, without food or water.

"How are you alive?" he muttered. Naruto opened his blue eye and looked at him in surprise. "Is it okay with you if I fetch my captain? We promise only to help you," he continued. Naruto nodded, and Itachi ruffled his unruly blond hair. "I'll be back soon." With that, he was gone.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably on the roots of the tree. He felt his wounds itch and winced in pain as they stretched. He calmed his laboured breathing and tried to stop from shivering so much. It was cold, intensely so, even though the night wasn't particularly freezing. He felt heavy, scarcely able to lift a finger. But someone was helping him. And he had no doubt who sent the Uchiha.

Naruto sunk with relief. _Thank you, Sasuke._

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was interrupted from his reading by an unlikely visitor. Said visitor was a slightly distraught Uchiha Itachi, one of his subordinates. If even the normally emotionless prodigy was unnerved, then something bad was happening. He shut his book on ninjutsu and shoved it in his pocket. He waited for the twelve year old to explain himself, settling down cross-legged on the mat. The child's usually blank eyes exerted confusion and an urge to protect. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, wondering what, other than his otouto, Sasuke, could bring Itachi to defend someone.

Itachi hid the emotions in a blink, and sighed. "You should come see for yourself, Taichou. Provided, no one can know about this," he said. Kakashi nodded and stood to grasp Itachi's shoulder. Then the boy shunshinned them away.

Upon landing, Kakashi immediately caught sight of his sensei's son. He inhaled sharply as he took in the poor state. Naruto looked up at him with a tired, glassy eye and gave him a smile. The six year old managed a hello as Kakashi rushed to help him. His main concern was the infected wound and the food deprivation. Remembering Itachi's words of keeping this secret, he ordered him to fetch a bucket of water, a medical kit, and once that was done, cook up something light. Naruto would have to do without a medic.

The water was delivered within minutes, and Kakashi gently cleaned off the dried blood with a wet cloth. First was the arm. _Only_ arm, he thought in anger. Dismissing that phenomenon, he scrubbed at the infected wound, comforting Naruto, who hissed in pain. It took a while to clean the eye, or where it used to be anyways. He went around it as close as possible. He scrambled through the medical kit and brought out gauze and bandages, making quick work of treating Naruto's arm. Closing and covering the infection was a difficult task. After treating the infection with one of the musty smelling poultices, he placed gauze and then white tape over it. He wrapped Naruto's head in bandages similar to how he slanted his hitai-ate.

As he leant back to inspect his treatment, Itachi arrived with a small bowl of mashed potato and some sort of soup. It was no easy feat to spoon feed the boy, and it took time to swallow. The slower, the better, though, because any faster would only result in a trip back the way it came. Itachi wringed a towel of cold water and laid it on Naruto's forehead. He covered the skinny body with a thick blanket and placed him on top of a small mat he had brought. The boy closed his eye and dozed off, leaving the two ANBU to chat.

"The villagers must have done it on his birthday," Kakashi sighed in frustration. He hated not being there for Minato's son once again. His luck always brought him out of the village on month long missions during October. It pained him with guilt that he knew would never leave, even though Naruto never placed the blame on him. Itachi remained silent and thought of Sasuke's condition.

"Something weird is happening, I can't place my finger on it," he muttered.

Kakashi hummed. "What do you mean by that?" he pressed.

"My brother is suffering from a similar sickness and has been for as long as Naruto, ever since October 10th. Fever, chills, missing an arm but no sign of a wound. He woke from a nightmare, crying blood. And his Sharingan had awakened," Itachi elaborated.

"Must have been some nightmare."

"Most troubling was his Sharingan. He had a Mangekyo," he paused to let Kakashi curse, "and a different one."

"A different one? What did it look like?"

"Purple, with many ripples and six tomoe in a triangle around the centre. I think it is the Rinnegan, but to have tomoe in it is unheard of." Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. His curiosity has peaked by this case. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back, and Kakashi was determined to uncover the meaning of this. The nineteen year old dismissed Itachi after saying he would look after Naruto for the day.

* * *

After three weeks of doing absolutely nothing but recovering, Sasuke was talking and sitting up. His limbs were stiff and weak, as well as his back. He felt sore all over and got tired easily. Itachi devised some easy exercises to help him strengthen his body and move around. It wouldn't do to be a newborn foal when he was up and walking. So he spent most of his waking hours stretching and moving from where he sat on his mat and reading through the scrolls and books his brother brought him. It didn't stop him from worrying though.

When he asked Itachi about Naruto, his brother had answered truthfully. He was worried at how Naruto was coping with the loneliness and losing an eye. But Itachi had assured him that he and his captain, Inu, were keeping the boy much needed company. He knew who Inu was immediately, but Itachi didn't need to know that. If anything, Sasuke was very glad that Kakashi was taking care of his friend.

He wiped his forehead and pulled himself to the wall. His brother had come back from a mission just moments before and was now reporting to the Hokage. Figuring his brother could do with good news, Sasuke decided to make another step towards recovery. He steadied himself with a hand on the wall and gathered his legs under him. He slowly rose, keeping his knees bent and leaning heavily on the wall. He shook out his legs and took trembling steps around the room, keeping a hand to the wall. He sighed in relief at the improvement and pushed himself to the centre of the room, experimenting with a wider stride and moving faster. It seemed he was almost back in shape. For his age. It would certainly be a long time before he was back at his full strength.

Itachi chose that moment to enter the room. He stood for a full minute watching his brother walk around, though slightly wobbly, he amended. He smiled and sat beside Sasuke when he lay down in exhaustion.

"Good to see you on your feet, Otouto," he said. Sasuke nodded in return and threw his arms behind, pulling into a sitting position. He looked thoughtful for a moment before turning to his brother.

"When can I see Naruto?" he asked. He _needed_ to see his best friend and catch up. They haven't seen each other in at least two years. He needed to see the boy with his own eyes, help him through his new handicap and just _talk and talk and talk._

"I can take you tomorrow. I have a mission and it will take a day," he answered softly. Many questions were roving through his mind but he couldn't bring himself to outright launch into them. Instead he only voiced one. "How did you know Naruto needed help?"

Sasuke shuffled uncomfortably and looked away. "We both had the nightmare. It was too vivid for it to not be real."

"What exactly happened?" Itachi pressed.

"It was normal at first. We met each other in the dream, and became friends. It felt like a week condensed in one moment..." Sasuke began, spinning up a tale that was half-truth. "After that second, everything changed. It was like a war or something. There was blood covering the earth, the trees dissolved with it and flooded everything like a river of gore. People were screaming and I saw their shadows cut down and spray the world with their insides." Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. Itachi let him continue, keeping his face carefully blank.

"Naruto and I... we stayed together. I don't understand why, but something changed and it all went wrong. We fought tooth and claw, for hours on end. We were in a desolate valley, and no one was there to stop us. We didn't want to fight but we couldn't control ourselves. It was bloody and painful, too fast to trace and comprehend. When it seemed we were at the end of our abilities..." Sasuke trailed off with a whisper. He remembered all too well what happened next. He huddled his knees to his chest and stared at the wall blankly, trying to forget the memory that was too clear in his head.

Itachi encouraged him to finish. He didn't want to put his brother through this but it was absolutely necessary to piece together how the boys were left in such a state. Sasuke held back his tears.

"We sent a final attack at each other, and it was too... strong. We tore our arms off. And then I killed him. The attack had continued and I struck his chest. I- I killed him." Sasuke buried his head in his hands and fell asleep in the comfort of his brother's arms. Itachi was very worried at the information. To bring the injuries to the waking world, all healed but not reversible? No wonder Sasuke awakened his Mangekyou. The Rinnegan was still a mystery to be solved.

He had learned a lot of things from this. One thing was that Naruto had somehow tried to run from the villagers whilst suffering the aftermath of the nightmare. That was next to impossible with that bad an illness, not to mention the trauma. He covered his little brother with a blanket and set him on the mat. Kakashi was probably with Naruto right now. He sighed and shunshinned away. His captain needed to know the new information.

* * *

Kakashi took in the findings like a sponge and his worry increased immensely.

Naruto was moving around now as well. With the help of the ANBU captain, the boy had made a few laps around the small area before settling back down. His depth perception was off, as the Hatake predicted. But he would get over that soon with Kakashi to help him adapt. The transpiring events made him more determined to take care of Naruto. He planned to go to Sarutobi to make an adoption happen. No matter what, Kakashi would make sure the boy would be his little brother.

The nightmare had raised more questions than answered them. He understood far more than an hour ago but at the same time couldn't fathom the supernatural ideals brought about by the nightmare. Taking the injuries from dream to real world? That was hard to believe. Sasuke's eyes proved to be a mystery big enough to make aspiring detectives jealous and the smartest people in the nations baffled. Whatever the case, Kakashi made looking after Naruto top priority.

The area they sat around had become somewhat of a camp. The rain was heavy enough to create a thick layer of mud so he had made a well-hidden treehouse in the lower branches of one of the oldest trees. It was hidden by leaves and ferns. On top of the base was a tent in which the Jinchuuriki slept. One side of the tent was raised to allow space for the ANBU to sit. Kakashi sat with the boy for another hour before checking the area. Once all was clear he left to find the Hokage.

* * *

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. Sasuke had never slept so well for years. His worry had eased a little, knowing he would finally be able to see his best friend in the late afternoon. He went over their cover story, preparing to relay it to Naruto and make it as brief as possible. He thought back to their conditions. Sasuke would have to help Naruto learn one-handed seals. He sighed as his thoughts strayed to the Uchiha coup. The massacre was necessary to prevent a civil war breaking out in Konoha. But he doesn't want Itachi to leave. There must be some way to have Itachi stay in the village. He looked at the walls in disdain, scooping through ideas that could help. It was too early to think of such things.

He exited the room and ambled down stairs, running his hand along the wall to keep upright. Mikoto was throwing together some breakfast with practiced ease. She smiled at him and went back to cooking. He settled in a seat and rested his chin in his hand. It was hard to look around the house without seeing the blood and darkness. Everything stood as a reminder, and he knew that it would be just the same outside. His brows furrowed as a plan crossed his mind. Exploit Madara. If he managed that, then Itachi would be able to stay. Wouldn't it be best to kill Madara and be done with it? A lot of events can be prevented and the peace last longer. It was foolish of him to hope for such a thing, but right now it was his best bet.

His mother placed a plate in front of him. She held out chopsticks and he looked at her in surprise. Was she feeding him?

"Okaa-san, I'm fine, I can do it myself," he said, reaching out to take the chopsticks. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, glancing pointedly at his stump. Right, he wasn't supposed to be able to use his right arm. He reigned in his embarrassment and allowed her to continue. If Naruto found out he would never live it down.

Breakfast finished, Sasuke looked through the house. He searched around for scrolls to occupy him. The room that held them was stocked with shelves that rose to the ceiling. Books and scrolls stacked neatly and spares that couldn't fit were piled up with an arrogant precision. He gathered a few in his arm and trudged back out to the seating room. Time passed quickly as he read through them, taking in important bits and pieces he didn't know. He held onto a scroll on wind jutsu he was sure Naruto would love. The Jinchuuriki must be bored out of his mind with nothing to do except chat up a storm when Kakashi or Itachi were around.

As if the musings summoned him, Itachi strolled into the house. "Tadaima," he said, entering the room governed by his little brother. Sasuke looked up from his reading.

"Okaeri, nii-san." Itachi ruffled his hair, donning a small smile but keeping his eyes blank.

"Are you ready?" Sasuke nodded, keeping a tight grip on the scroll. Itachi softened at that and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We have to shunshin there," he warned. Sasuke didn't reply, so they disappeared in a swirl.

They landed at the base of the tree. Sasuke looked in the branches and made out a tree house. He smirked and called out softly, "Naruto!" A clatter sounded from within and a mop of messy blond hair appeared. Naruto stood on the edge of the camp, holding onto the branch above him. He grinned at seeing him and waved. Sasuke kept a straight face as his friend clambered down the trunk. Itachi barely reprimanded him with more than a look. Naruto chuckled as he dropped on his feet in front of them, keeping his movements silent.

Sasuke examined the long, pink scar on his face. A navy cloth was tied around his head and covering his eye, or lack thereof. He only saw the scar cut down his neck before it disappeared beneath his collar. Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. His eye told Sasuke everything he needed to know. Kurama was asleep for the time being and unable to heal him properly; all thanks to the mysterious figure's so called good intentions in masking the chakra of the powerful beast.

An overwhelming urge shook Sasuke from his staring. He leapt forward and crushed his arm around Naruto, holding onto him as tightly as he could. Naruto responded just as desperately, pressing his face into the other's shoulder and crying his pain out. Sasuke sniffled and felt so many burdens lift off his shoulders, making him feel lighter than ever.

* * *

 _2 months after Time Jump_

Naruto was far from happy. It would be a long time before he and Sasuke were back at full strength. All they could do was train in secret, slowly regaining and relearning their skills. It took far less time to learn things now, what with their knowledge and experience. He was yet to get a home and hadn't seen the Sandaime to fix that problem. More like he was avoiding him.

Life on the streets was as hard as he remembered. Every day was spent searching for food and then hanging with Sasuke and Itachi. At night, he stayed at the treehouse. He had seen neither hide nor hair of Kakashi, and suspected he wasn't the only one avoiding all contact with someone.

Kurama was still asleep. His mindscape remained quiet. With no one to annoy him and nothing to do, Naruto set to redesigning the sewer into a forest paradise. He even created a waterfall complete with a large monolith covered in grass that he knew Kurama would love. Not that the furball would ever admit it.

He was on his way to meet Sasuke at the playground. Itachi was off on a mission. He kept to alleyways and quiet streets, staying far from any civilians. The navy cloth Kakashi had gifted him was wrapped around his head and over his eye and ended around the back in two long tails. He ignored his rumbling stomach and the glares directed his way as he sprinted across a street. His depth perception was still off. He couldn't dodge the rotten apple that flew his way.

Sasuke was teaching him one-handed seals. It was by no means fun, but Naruto put up with it. It wasn't as hard as he thought it be. Getting accustomed to the loss of an eye and an arm, as well as his tiny size, was much harder.

Whispers followed him into the playground. He shut the slurs out and crossed over to Sasuke. Parents grabbed their children and escaped the field. It became deserted as he reached Sasuke under their tree. He wiped the hurt from his face and collapsed beside the Uchiha. Sasuke wasn't fooled by his friend's cheery appearance.

"Shall we get started then?" Naruto smiled.

The rest of the afternoon passed in silence. Naruto went through seals as Sasuke read through lightning scrolls. Itachi came across the two sitting back to back and near sleep. Naruto shifted at the presence and nudged Sasuke awake.

The sun had set, last flickers of orange and purple shuttering beneath the horizon. The playground stayed quit and still except for the calls of owls and crickets. Nothing was out of place, nothing to hurt them or disrupt the peace-filled village. It was the first night of calm and content. It rid them of their fears for future dangers.

Soon they would be strong again.

Naruto greeted the quiet Uchiha and looked back at Sasuke. They sported matching smiles. There was a glint of happiness in his friend's eyes for the first time in years. Soon.

Soon they would start. The world better be prepared.


	2. A Myriad of Lightning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I'd be traveling around the world and enjoying the luxuries of being rich. Maybe.**

 **AN: It might seem a little fast at some points. I got stuck in some spots and couldn't figure out what to write, sorry.**

 **Warnings: Language, violence, child ninjas etc.**

 _ **Chapter 2-**_

 _ **Word count- 3600**_

 _ **A Myriad of Lightning**_

 _7 months after Time Jump_

It was glorious. This power, this utter strength. It wasn't the prime of it, only half of what had been, yet Sasuke had missed it dearly nonetheless. His limbs felt freer and the world was opened to new light. The return of chakra to his system cleared his senses and enhanced them. He was no longer blind to the shadows around him. He felt the presence of those previously unseen. It helped him think. He was more alert to the problems of the Uchiha clan, and more specifically, his family.

His father avoided him mostly. His mother was no different, though slightly subdued. She stayed in the house the most and was the one he saw the most. Itachi was becoming more distant around their parents. The relationship he had with his older brother remained. It was colder, yes, like his brother was a world away. But it was much, much better than before. They spoke to each other. Though they were aware of the secrets between them, the two always spoke the truth of their feelings and troubles. It relieved Sasuke's stress and he learned more about Itachi than he ever knew.

Sasuke breathed in deeply, taking in the fresh and breezy air. The day was lively. He was running atop the buildings, hidden by his Genjutsu and getting hit by the wind. It carried on it the scent of leaves, of Konohagakure. It felt like home again.

He raced past oblivious Shinobi and stared down below at the crowds of the market. Almost there. He continued on, leaping across lengthy gaps between buildings and flitting over lines of lanterns hung above the roads. The Hokage Mountain stood in all its immense power, protecting the villagers below. Sasuke let his eyes rest for a moment on the face of the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and Naruto's father. It wasn't much of a shock when he found out. The two looked alike, from what he remembered of the reanimated Yellow Flash.

He arrived at the apartments and glanced at an open window. His destination. He turned through the air and landed on his feet. Dusting himself off, Sasuke spotted Naruto sitting at the low table with two clones and playing cards. He rolled his eyes and left for the kitchen. There was a pop as the clones dispersed and Naruto came beside him. Sasuke emptied his bag of fresh food and pre-made meals into the fridge and cupboard. It was a weekly thing for Sasuke to deliver food he and Itachi prepared in secret. There was no point for Naruto to deal with the civilians' crap and get overcharged for rotten cabbage. His blond friend nodded appreciatively.

Sasuke took in the relatively normal appearance of the Jinchuuriki. His malnourishment was slowly edging away. He sighed and they went back to the table, spreading out some scrolls. Naruto, as usual, raised a brow.

"What about the wildlife?" By that, he meant the ANBU, and by wildlife, he was referring to their code names and animal inspired masks. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"No point hiding so much. We would never live a free day if we remained low," Sasuke stated, sending a pointed glare at the invisible ANBU stationed outside the window. He watched it flicker away and a replacement arrive not a second after. _Probably reporting to its superiors_ , Sasuke thought in exasperation. Maybe then they will be allowed early admittance to the Academy and a very early, by today's standards, graduation. He scrunched up his nose. The thought of going to pointless lessons with a bunch of snot-nosed brats made him gag.

Naruto glanced up from a suiton scroll and shook with amusement. "What's up?"

"Academy," he muttered in reply. The one word was laced with horror and dread. Naruto groaned and banged his head against the table. His hair, growing out to something more like the Yondaime's, was flying around like grass in the wind. Sasuke scoffed at that connection.

"Never. Never going near that place," he swore. Then his head shot up from the desk, blue eyes holding a very familiar glint. _Oh no, where is he going with this..._ "If all goes well, I'm sure we'll never have to set foot in that place, ever." Sasuke leaned forward, all ears for a plan he couldn't like in the slightest. Naruto lost himself reminiscing his plan and coming up with amazing, extravagant plans.

"All we need is to show our spectacular talent that the Old Man cannot ignore, make a large commotion and nag a lot. I'm sure we can manage." Sasuke nodded and payed attention as his friend got into detail about the prank. Anything to get out of going back to Academy.

The ANBU didn't catch a single word exchanged between them and sweat dripped down his face in worry. Uzumaki's aura screamed 'Prank Master'. The Hokage needed to be warned immediately. Right after Boar got back from reporting on the anomaly of the boys.

* * *

Kakashi had spent six long months on missions and guard duty. He used the rest of his time up in the Hokage Tower trying to get the Sandaime to accept his request. Or more appropriately put, demand. No matter what he said or what arguments he presented, he always received the same answer in return. A quiet, stern, _no_.

This time though, Kakashi of the Sharingan wouldn't take no for an answer. He had a small paper as back up, which contained a long list of why there was nothing wrong with his suggestion.

He kicked open the door to the Hokage's Office for the fourth time that week and ignored the giggles from the ANBU on duty. The Sandaime spared him a glance before tackling his immortal enemy, paperwork, once again. He dropped into the chair and settled his elbows on a desk in a professional, business-like manner. Before any word could escape his mouth...

"No."

Kakashi cleared his throat and prepared to speak again, undeterred by Hiruzen's blunt answer.

"No."

He remained unfazed by the countless interruptions and before anyone could move or present a rebuttal, spoke harsh words.

"Not once have you given me a reason for your abhorrent urge to dismiss my suggestion, _Hokage-sama_." Kakashi had never been so passionate about anything since his young-self's worshipping of Shinobi rules. But this was something that he couldn't give up on, and was one of the most important decisions in his sorry life. "I see no need to say no or disregard all the benefits of this plan.

"Have you considered the consequences?" Sarutobi inquired, looking up from a report. Kakashi nodded, hope lighting a small flame inside him. The Hokage looked like he had aged a decade. He stared into Kakashi's eye, trying to discern lie from truth and seemed satisfied. "Since you're so intent on interrupting my batt- work... I will let up on this," he granted. "But. Should anything happen..."

Kakashi simply grinned under his mask as Sarutobi finalised the paperwork and gave his approval.

Uzumaki Naruto was going to be his little brother.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke had scouted out the best locations to set up their prank. Right outside the Jounin Lounge. Naruto held the clipboard for Sasuke to write the necessary ingredients on. They hid their chakra signatures from the ANBU hidden inside and pressed their faces against the glass.

The room held innumerable stacks of paperwork and scrolls. The Jounins were holed in at the sofas and desks. Gathering information quickly, the boys then went to spy on the Hokage's office. They felt Kakashi leave the office, flaring in excitement and bellowing in manic laughter. The boys glanced at each other with confusion. Naruto hoped it hadn't anything to do with them.

They dotted down a few more notes and dropped from the window. Before the ANBU could be alerted to their presence they were streets away.

Sasuke collapsed on the bed and read over the clipboard. It was acquirable and cheap, and innocent enough that sellers wouldn't get too suspicious. Maybe. Naruto pulled out some onigiri for snacks and sat on the kitchen bench.

"The Shinobi probably know of our talents by now," the Jinchuuriki commented. Sasuke hummed in agreement. The ANBU outside shuffled uncomfortably. They ate in silence and eyed the ANBU. The hidden ninja shivered under their light gazes. He crossed his fingers and hoped for his comrade to hurry up and take over the shift.

* * *

 _The Next Morning_

Screams sounded from the gloomy Jounin Lounge. A shadow clone let out a snicker and popped, a small veil of smoke coming around the place it had just occupied. The large room was covered in pinks, bright oranges and blues, ranging from destructive, shiny glitter bombs and cascades of paint all over the walls. The shinobi inside were cloaked in colour, hair messed up and matted, clothes completely dyed. They all had shocked expressions. The ANBU with them were no longer hidden, having not been spared from the horrible attack.

There had been no warning, no sudden burst of chakra or tag in the room to announce the blast. One moment, silence and soft chatter, the next, colourful chaos. A cat-masked ANBU shunshinned away to the Hokage's office to warn him and report the incident.

By then, it was already too late. The entire Hokage Tower received the same treatment. Only the paperwork was spared. The Sandaime was trying to remain dignified as he ordered Genin teams to begin cleaning, naming it a D-ranked mission. He suspected who was behind it. Only one person was able to pull a prank of this scale off. Konoha's resident Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto.

Said kid was currently evading a group of ANBU and Jounin, who had discovered him outside the Lounge. He glanced behind and erupted into laughter. The shinobi were not intimidating at all. Despite their obvious anger and irritation, the paint really minimised their scare tactics.

His pursuers persisted in the chase for the next hour, Naruto waiting for their guard to come down. As he crossed the gap between buildings, he brought forth a mass of a dozen shadow clones. The smoke hid him from view, and a clone took his place. The others settled for splitting up, with the real Naruto sneaking off to the rendezvous point to meet Sasuke.

Sasuke was his usual, composed self when Naruto found him behind Ichiraku's. There was an air of satisfaction about him though.

"How was it at the Tower?" Naruto asked, settling beside his friend on the wall. He heard the shouts of villagers and saw bright shinobi passing in another street.

The Uchiha smirked, "Exactly as planned. I evaded the shinobi with shadow clones, and they are all split up and stirring up attention in the market district. And you?"

"They are yet to find out just how much of the building got a makeover. The Jounin only noticed what's in the lounge. The rooms and exterior? Not yet," Naruto grinned.

Dust came up as a shinobi appeared before them. He looked down at the boys with an indifferent smile on his face. Sasuke looked away and Naruto pouted. The game was drawing to a close. The older Uchiha in front of them merely patted their shoulders.

"Ohayo, Otouto, Naru-kun," Itachi said. Naruto muttered back, embarrassed by the name, whilst Sasuke met his brother's warm eyes and pouted. "The Hokage would very much like to speak with you two." They were enveloped by a swirl of leaves and appeared in the Sandaime renovated office. He was seated at his desk, smoking his pipe and pretending not to be coated in atrocious paint. He nodded at Itachi and turned his gaze to the wrong-doers.

"You are aware of the situation, I take?"

Sasuke nodded. Naruto laughed, "Every detail." He received a slap upside the head from his friend and cut off. Sarutobi let out a long-suffering sigh, eyebrow twitching. The paperwork on his desk remained untouched by the paint, making the Hokage even more annoyed.

"You mean to tell me, you know the layout of both the Hokage Tower and Jounin Headquarters enough to pull off a prank of this scale, avoid detection before setting it off, and somehow escaping from two elite squads of shinobi out for revenge?" he said in disbelief.

"You have all the evidence, Jiji. And anyways, it was so easy. You should step up the security," Naruto said.

"I plan on it," the Sandaime muttered.

After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, Sasuke stepped forward. "I request that Naruto and I take part in an advanced graduation test."

Itachi's eyes widened, as did the Hokage's. They were only young children. If they graduated, their childhood would be no more. The Sandaime did not want that, and yet there was some sense in trying; the boys had pulled off a large scale prank and evaded detection for the most part. They had the potential, and capability of shinobi.

Unsure if they would succeed, and leaving a sick feeling in his throat, Sarutobi granted their request. "It will take place tomorrow. I will be your examiner." Naruto cheered. "That aside," the Hokage warned, "I hope you know what you are getting yourself into should you graduate." They nodded and he drew out another long breath. "Now I have an announcement. Or more like, Kakashi-kun does."

The door was kicked open by none other than a gravity-defying, silver-haired shinobi. He came right up to Naruto and crouched beside him. The Jinchuuriki tilted his head in confusion.

"I am your new brother, Hatake Kakashi," he declared in a soft voice. Naruto froze, words sinking in. He looked into Kakashi's eye and tears slipped out. _Family_. He smiled, and squeezed his brother in a hug.

* * *

 _Examination Day- Hokage's Training Grounds_

Naruto was first to arrive. It was the crack of dawn, and he felt refreshed from the best sleep he'd had in years. It had been his first night with Kakashi. The new brothers had moved into a three-bedroom house. The house was new and nothing was broken, much unlike Naruto's old apartment. There was so much space in his room, which had a proper mattress and soft pillow. Naruto was for once, glad about going home after a long day's work.

He looked over the large clearing, perhaps three times the size of Team Seven's first ground. The trees around it were ancient, trunks stretching up higher than any other part of the forest surrounding Konoha. There was a formation of boulders beside the river that ran through the center of the clearing. He climbed over the rocks and settled on the top, basking on its cool surface.

He watched the sunrise, eye narrowing against the light. Naruto adjusted the cloth over his face, tightening it with a struggle, one strand in his mouth, arm pulling the other to keep it against his head.

Sasuke was next to arrive, heading right for him after giving a quick scan over the training ground. He dropped beside him and closed his eyes, dropping into a light sleep. Naruto stayed up, observing the waking world with a small smile on his face.

He sat like that for a while, until finally, three new arrivals filed into the grounds. It was the Hokage, followed by Kakashi and Itachi. The ANBUs were donning their uniform, sans masks. Sasuke awoke and together, the boys went down to the river to meet the shinobi.

The Sandaime had ditched his robes for his battle attire. Naruto glanced at Sasuke to see a similar expression to his own. It seemed like they would be pitted against the God of Shinobi for this exam. Their brothers backed off to the edge of the clearing. They stood firm, facing the Hokage and standing in defensive stances. Sarutobi stared down at their forms, searching for holes and settling into his own position.

Silence shifted over the clearing, forming heavy and slipping with tension. They stood still and quiet in a competition for patience. It drifted on, time slowing down more and more, stretching out into eternity.

A slight tensing of the muscle. Naruto twitched a finger in a silent signal. Sarutobi leapt, and the three met above the swirling river.

* * *

Sasuke gingerly held the leaf hitai-ate in his hand. The navy cloth fell over his fingers. He took a shuddering breath and tried to focus on the metal plate, his eyes going misty as he stared. He remembered the last time he had worn a hitai-ate. It had been when he defected from Konoha and Naruto had come after him. And then they had fought in the Valley of the End. He remembered the feeling of flesh and bone when his Chidori tore through Naruto's chest.

" _No. Don't think about that_ ," he berated himself. He clenched his fist around the hitai-ate and closed his eyes. He snapped them open again when Itachi's signature rocked into the room without warning. He looked at his brother, a soft smile on the elder Uchiha's face.

"Congratulations, Otouto." Itachi came over and gently eased the hitai-ate from his hand. Sasuke looked up questioningly. A weight pressed against his forehead and he flinched, before realising. Itachi tied the cloth and stood back. Sasuke felt with a hand at the plate around his head and felt a smile at the corner of his mouth. It twitched up unconsciously and he let it. His brother's eyes were of mixed emotions. Pride… and sadness. He wrapped his arm around Itachi's waist and pressed his face into the other's shoulder.

"I know what a ninja does… and what could happen. You don't have to worry so much all the time Nii-san. Let me help you, please," Sasuke whispered. Itachi stiffened the slightest bit against him. His older brother hesitantly brought his arms around Sasuke. Sasuke breathed in deeply, losing himself in the comfort of the embrace. He would do whatever it took to help his brother through his troubles. He would make sure that Itachi could stay in the village after the massacre and help him recover.

Itachi relaxed and sighed. "You really are a mystery, Sasuke. Thank you," he smiled and a chuckle escaped him. Sasuke pulled back and grasped his brother's hand, dragging him out the house and through the compound. The elder Uchiha didn't comment, trusting that wherever they were going would be worth it in the end.

They didn't stop at the calls and greetings of the other Uchiha, quickly nodding their heads in return and moving on. Sasuke felt his emotions rise as they crossed through the streets of Konoha.

Residents of the village worked on their wares, setting up and getting to work. Crafting, smithing, cooking occurred on all sides, stalls alight with movement and a positive air. Commoners went on their way, stopping at shops and starting conversation. It was a happy place, untouched by the world their shinobi protected them from. The village was filled with life, just like it always was.

Sasuke spotted his target, pushing through the cloaks of Ichiraku Ramen. He smiled as he saw Kakashi follow, porn in hand. Itachi raised his head ever so slightly in understanding. The brothers entered seconds later. They joined the two atop the stools, Itachi to Kakashi's left and Sasuke to Naruto's right. The knucklehead was already calling out his orders Teuchi-san. His voice rang in Sasuke's ears, disorienting him. He shook his head to clear it, and by then, Kakashi and his brother had already ordered.

The owner turned to him. "One pork ramen please, Teuchi-san," he decided. The old man nodded and went to the kitchen. He and Ayame expertly began their task.

"'Kashi-nii asked me, what's our dream?" Sasuke looked at Naruto, who was deep in thought. "My first response would have been to protect our precious people. But how? Being a ninja opens a lot of opportunities, sure. But something else could open more, right?" he finished. Sasuke hummed.

"Maybe we should become ANBU? Not now, we just became Genin. Later? Definitely. And we should try to join as soon as possible," he answered. Naruto nodded his assent. The blond twisted around and tapped Kakashi on the shoulder.

"I know now," he said. Kakashi raised a brow, clearly saying 'what?' Naruto tilted his head back. "Our dream," he clarified, "is to become ANBU and go through the ranks. After that, maybe I'll go for Hokage and Sasuke can be my right-hand man. _Literally_."

"Ah, damn. I dread the day a brat like you becomes my superior." Naruto squeaked in outrage, raising his fist for good measure.

 _That reminds me_ , Sasuke mused _. Naruto and I haven't been interrogated about our handicaps. A good thing too. If the Hokage found out we came from the future, we'd find ourselves knee-deep in shit. It was bad enough he kept inquiring about it. Though I suppose on the streets, our cloaks keep us hidden._

He was brought back to the present when a bowl of steaming ramen was placed in front of him. He gave a thank you and began to eat, watching with amusement as Naruto and Kakashi bickered. His friend ceased immediately when he received his ramen. He inhaled it down, and Sasuke held back a laugh. _Just like old times._


	3. Suffocating Clouds of Mist and Demons

**Disclaimer: I don't, and never have, owned Naruto. What I do own is this plot. That's mine. _All mine MWAHAHAHAHA!_**

 **Warnings: Violence, possible language, child ninjas, etc.**

 ** _Chapter 3-_**

 ** _Word Count- 2500_**

 _Suffocating Clouds of Mist and Demons_

Naruto and Sasuke would be going on a C-Rank mission in the next morning. They had been Genin for a mere 2 weeks before the Hokage deemed they would be best out in the field. Kakashi would accompany them as their squad leader.

Naruto and Kakashi were picking up a few face-masks from a ninja clothing store. Not for Kakashi. Naruto had decided that wearing a face-mask when out on missions. If enemies caught on to his Jinchuriki status then Akatsuki won't be far behind.

They entered the store. It was bleaker than most stores, and had a dark air to it. Nevertheless, it is where most shinobi get their attire. Most clothes here were in natural colours, blending in with the forest-painted walls. A rack of weapons covered the far wall beside the counter. As Kakashi went to browse the swords, Naruto went up to the counter.

The young lady greeted him with a smile. "Ah, hello Naruto-kun. Your masks are ready," she said, bringing said masks out from beneath the counter.

He handed over the money with a soft thank you and looked around for his brother. He met him before a shining silver tanto. Its hilt was lined with bronze, the blade itself marked with a web of red lines. Naruto whistled in appreciation. Kakashi looked down at him and then back to the sword.

The copy ninja made a noise of finality and grabbed it off the rack, along with a matching black and red sheath. Naruto realised where he was going and felt a grin slip on. He followed Kakashi back to the checkout and reigned in his excitement.

They exited the shop moments later and his brother handed the tanto to him.

"Thank you so much, 'Kashi-nii!" Naruto widened his grin and Kakashi eye-smiled.

"Anything for you, Naru." The jinchuriki pouted at the nickname but inwardly he as beaming. No one had ever done this for him before.

The brothers returned to their home and Naruto sprinted to his room. He slammed open his closet and chucked in all but one of his masks. He threw that on his bedside and placed the tanto atop his chin-high bookshelf. Joy rushed through him as he gazed around at his room for the millionth time ever since he moved in.

 _My own room, my own room,_ he chanted in his head. A grumble made him freeze. He stood in silence and began to shiver. The grumbling stopped, but Naruto couldn't shake it off. He sat on his bed and calmed, though excitement continued to bubble and increase. He shut his eye and escaped to his mind.

He was met with a tumbling waterfall and a twining maze of forest trees. He was not alone. Atop the monolith was a ginormous red-orange mound, curled into a ball. He had nine swishing tails and a black mask of fur on his eyes. He was not contained by a sewer jail or blocked by unbreakable bars. There was no collar on his neck either, because there was no seal. As Naruto approached, the Kyuubi no Kitsune raised his head and stared down at his host. Warmth filled his usual cold gaze.

"Kurama!" Naruto yelped. He shook off his surprise and jumped up to his tenant, snuggling between his paws. A purr rumbled through the fox. The Uzumaki cried into the soft fur, reminiscing in the memories of his friend.

 **"Hello, Kit,"** the fox spoke. **"I leave you for a short amount of time and look at you. Neck-deep in trouble barely any time later."** Naruto growled, not unlike a beast. Kurama laughed and flicked the boy with a tail. Naruto was squished by its weight.

"Oi!" he screamed indignantly, but the cry was muffled by the Biju's thick pelt. Kurama laughed, his deep voice shuddering through his body.

 **"I have seen what is going on, there is no need to brief me. Now before you leave me to rest, I have an offer. You can't refuse it either way,"** Kurama began. Naruto raised his visible eyebrow. **"There are remnants of Asura's chakra in here. Not much, but I can use it with my own chakra to give you a new eye."**

"Oh? It would be different from a human's eye I bet. What is it?" Naruto asked. His tenant smiled.

 **"It would look very much human, and have the same capabilities. An extra perk, yes, but you will figure that out soon enough."**

Naruto huffed, "Of course you'd say that. Fine, fine, not like I can refuse anyways. But how can I explain it to Kakashi?"

 **"You're the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, that ought to be enough,"** Kurama rolled his eyes. **"The eye will be back by tomorrow evening. Now leave. I need my rest, brat."**

Naruto was flung out of his mindscape.

* * *

The day went without much change. Kakashi and Itachi were confined to ANBU HQ for work today. That left the two time-travellers by themselves. Not long after the elder brothers left, Sasuke showed up at his house. Naruto showed him to his room. He could sense the Uchiha wanted to talk about the same thing as him. Changing the future.

Naruto stood in the room as Sasuke roamed around the place, picking things up and putting them down. He scrutinised a vase and glanced back at Naruto.

The Jinchuriki looked at him warily, staying in one spot. This would be an important conversation, he knew. He covered his face with his hand and tilted his head back.

"So what's the first step to this? The C-Rank's in the morning and we need to figure out what happens after. The massacre is almost almost a year away," Naruto began. "Innocent people are going to be slaughtered."

Sasuke shook his head and faced him. "No, Naruto," he replied, obviously guessing the blond's actions. "The event plays an important role. We can't change that."

Naruto scrunched his face, "But the clan-"

"Needs to go. We can't risk what could happen if something so large was altered," the Uchiha cut in. "A civil war could be prevented."

Naruto's hands trembled. "But we're protectors are we not? We can't let this happen! We _can't let people die_!" he clenched his fist and brought it to his side. Blood ran from his hand, nails sharp and piercing. Sasuke glanced at it but did not comment. "We are ninja, yes, but protectors first."

"It is the lesser of two evils," he answered monotonously.

Naruto glared at him. "Don't give me that crap!" he shouted, his anger getting the better of him. "We have been given a task and this is _not it._ "

"We need to let the massacre happen. The Uchiha clan have no place in Konoha after all," Sasuke stated indifferently.

Naruto froze, rage flooding his veins. He began to shake, fury marking the lines on his face. How could he suggest that? The Jinchuriki bowed his head. His hair shadowed his eye. He looked downright terrifying. Sasuke dared not move a muscle, finally realising what he said.

"Leave. I need to think," Naruto spoke softly. He saw Sasuke open his mouth to protest but stopped him with an angered shout.

" _LEAVE_!" He through his arm up and out to the side, pointing at the door. The Uchiha didn't ask what that gesture meant. The message was obvious enough. Naruto stared at the ground, listening to Sasuke's resigned footsteps echo too loudly on the floor. The door was pulled open and gently closed. The apartment was cast into empty silence.

Naruto dropped to his knees, arm still pointing. He stifled his tears. Why did this have to be so hard? If they were meant to be the guides of this world, protectors of the people, then why did they have to let people die?

* * *

Sasuke berated himself. He should have worded it differently, elaborated or something. But he had spoken in a way about things that went directly against Naruto's ideals. He should have thought beforehand, known that speaking so matter-of-factly would make his friend react negatively.

He escaped to his home to think. The house was quiet and empty, both his parents out for work. He crossed the rooms in a closed in manner, there but not really there. His mind was in another plane. His legs took him to the kitchen, and he pulled his bento from a cupboard.

It dropped to the floor, lid still shut tight. The container made a loud crashing noise as it tumbled a length before stopping. The sound echoed loudly in Sasuke's ears. He leaned down to lift it when he noticed his hand shaking, and the pins and needles shivering through his arm. He felt it disperse and frowned.

Passing it aside he finally lifted his lunch and took it to the bench. Small pricks of pain and discomfort lingered for a while.

His mother came inside, greeting him with a suffocating hug. He mumbled in annoyance, but he secretly enjoyed the contact. He and his mum ate lunch together that day.

* * *

Naruto woke to the sound of birds outside his window. He sat up stiffly and glared at them. They paid no heed and continued tweeting and placing twigs on the windowsill. He dressed and ran to Kakashi's room opposite his.

The ANBU was silent and still in his sleep. The covers were unruffled and he still had his cloth mask on.

"How do you breathe?" Naruto muttered. His brother opened his eye and turned to the Uzumaki. "Ohayo, 'Kashi-nii."

"Ohayo," he muttered back. "We leave for the gate in ten minutes." Naruto nodded and left the room. He sniggered at Kakashi's despairing groan. He bet the ANBU hadn't been on something as easy as a C-Rank in years.

Not five minutes later, they were out the door and ready. They met Sasuke at the gate as dawn arrived. The Uchiha rubbed his eyes and glared weakly. Naruto squeezed his friend's shoulder. The apology was clear. He sighed and managed a soft smile, his own apology shown in his eyes.

Kakashi watched in silence and gained their attention. "Our mission is simple. Investigate a group of bandits terrorising a village on the north border of Hi no Kuni. It is two days at a Jounin's pace to Horagakure. We'll investigate the surrounding area and report to our client in the village. Our objective is to subdue the bandit group and eliminate them," he briefed.

"Village Hidden in the Caves? Isn't that near Otogakure?" Naruto asked. Kakashi looked at him weirdly but didn't comment. Sasuke slapped him upside the head and Naruto glared in habit. The Uchiha shot into hand signs, one eye on their leader to make sure he couldn't see. [ _I don't think we are supposed know about the village._ ] Under his cloth mask, Naruto didn't move to speak, eye shining in understanding. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Kakashi signalled for them to follow and they took to the trees. They moved at a high jounin's pace at Naruto's naghing demands, trees flashing by as they headed steadily north. They met no life forms on the way to Horagakure. The landscape of warm forest lead the Barren hills and finally a small range of mountains came within their sights from the tree line.

Evening had arrived and Kakashi called them to set up camp. Sleeping rolls were placed beside a small fire hidden by Genjutsu.

 ** _Oi Kit. You can try out your eye now._** Kurama sounded tired so Naruto refrained from replying. He shivered in anticipation and turned his back to the others, pretending to watch the forest. He slowly lifted his hitai-ate, keeping his eye closed. Wind brushed against the area for the first time in weeks. He breathed deeply in comfort. With Kakashi and Sasuke occupied in soft conversation, they didn't notice his sharp intake of breath.

From his left eye he could see much clearer. The world wasn't as dark but at the same time wasn't as clear as day. It was easier to make out the area between the trees. He couldn't see any further than he usually could but it was clearer nonetheless. He let a grin get plastered on his face from ear to ear. He stifled a laugh that rose in his throat.

The others, now noticing Naruto's slightly aloof behaviour, looked at him questioningly. He turned back around and almost let go of his laugh at his brother's surprise. Sasuke's was more hidden, being used to the unpredictable antics of his friend. Kakashi's eye widened ever so slightly, and for him that meant a lot of surprise.

"How?" The Hatake whispered. Disbelief adorned his features. Sasuke caught on easily, shooting a questioning glance at his stomach, where the seal is. Naruto nodded.

"The Kyuubi isn't exactly useless," he said.

 ** _Thank you, Kit._** Kurama's voice was heavy with sarcasm. Naruto ignored him and focused on his brother. Kakashi excepted the answer, but his eye held suspicion. _Does he think you're trying to take over?_ Kurama didn't reply, not that he needed to anyway. The reason was clear as day.

* * *

Sasuke's hand formed one sign. _Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!_ He spit the fireball from his mouth and at the oncoming bandits. Naruto shouted an insult at his back. It sounded something like 'overkill' but Sasuke pretended he couldn't hear..

They were well away from the village and all the buildings were made of rock anyways. _But the people are not,_ he imagined Itachi reprimanding him when he got home.

The bandits tried to dodge the oncoming flames but it was a futile effort. They became quickly engulfed, and their screams were muffled by the fiery cage. He let the jutsu disperse, and all that was left were the charred bodies of the bandits. Kakashi pat his shoulder and went to check they were dead.

His chakra felt tingly, when he used it. It wasn't the normally burning feeling but strange and uncomfortable, like pins and needles. He'd had it occurring more often lately. Sasuke frowned and pushed it to the back of his mind. The tingling was already gone.

He turned to Naruto but the boy was facing away from the bandits as if it was unbearable to look. It probably was.

"Naruto?" he whispered gently. His friend glanced at him before wrapping his arm around his torso.

"I know," Naruto replied. "It was the mission, after all, and if we're going to become ANBU then I should get used to it." Sasuke nodded affirmatively.

Kakashi called them over. He was already walking in the direction of Konoha. The genin joined him and he briefed them on the situation. "Our client is satisfied. We can leave now." Sasuke could tell a smile was underneath Naruto's mask. He let out a long sigh of relief.

They entered the treeline two hours later, and took to the branches.


	4. Brewing Hurricane

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Plz don't sue me.**

 **Warnings: Foreboding, child ninjas, violence, death, etc.**

 **A/N: I will be updating this story very slowly. I'm also working on multiple fanfictions at once, depending on inspiration and mood, so it takes longer to come around to updating each individual story regularly.**

 _ **Chapter 4-**_

 ** _Word Count- 2600_**

 ** _Brewing hurricane_**

It was Naruto's turn to report in. After their fifth C-Rank in less than a fortnight, Naruto was in the Hokage's office, handing in a brief report. It was sort of embarrassing to pass the report over to the chunin. His writing was barely legible, and he got many quiet comments on it. He only rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly in response. For once avoiding insult, Naruto sprinted away down the corridors.

Fresh air greeted him. He emerged into the bustling street and scanned the people. He caught sight of a familiar mop of black hair. He approached from behind, creeping up slowly. But Sasuke twisted around, one eyebrow raised. Naruto stepped back, chuckling nervously, and plastered on an innocent smile. Sasuke was clearly not fooled. The Uchiha turned back and led the way through the village.

Naruto looked up. Sasuke was already going around a corner. He pouted and ran after him.

"Oi, wait you bastard!" he called out. Civilians shot nasty glares at his words. Naruto frowned and dismissed them. He came up beside Sasuke.

The village passed into darkness as clouds crossed over the low sun. The Uzumaki became impatient and sped up, Sasuke now the one to shout in annoyance.

Another crossing later, and the two boys nodded their goodbyes.

Naruto pushed open the wide door of the apartment complex. The inside was damp and musty, but certainly better than that of his old building. In the dark of the hallway, he didn't use his eye to see, and let muscle memory take him up the winding staircases; past rows of shut doors; past the broken voices of families having dinner.

Three floors up and he came to his door. No noise came from within, and Naruto remembered that Kakashi was on a long-term mission for the next month. He and Sasuke could only take D-Ranks and train for that time, confined inside the walls of Konohagakure.

He made his way inside and switched on the light. The apartment was as clean as usual. He crossed into the kitchen and flicked through the numerous cupboards. As he cooked a small serving of soup, a burning pain started up in his chest and behind the breastbone. He clutched at it, trying to take the pot off of the stove simultaneously. His breathing became painful, in short bursts.

As quickly as it came, the sensation subsided. He glowered, completely confused. Could it be… but it had been months since they went back in time. So why now?

He shoved the problem aside, and set his bowl on the bench. He packed and cleaned the utensils, and the soup cooled.

He stayed up far into the night, when the world was fully blanketed by the darkness of midnight. Naruto lit up an oil lamp and read many scrolls beside it. He made notes from stacks of books, filling a notebook with his chicken scratch.

Appalling to others, but he could read it and that's all he really cared about.

By the dim light, Naruto summarised close to four thick books. His poor writing was alongside diagrams of neatly drawn runes and lines. Thousands of pages were shortened to a tenth of that.

When his task was done, Naruto leaned back in his seat. He admired his work, and the art of seals. He felt like he was fulfilling the legacy of his bloodlines; the Uzumaki, the greatest practitioners of Fuuinjutsu in shinobi history; and that of his father, also a great seal master.

He expelled a long breath, stretching his arm past his head. He leaned one way, then the other. It was well past the time for sleep. His drive to work was only beginning to start up. Where had this hobby of reading been all his life? Locked away by the hate he endured? The neglect of his teachers and any relation he had?

No. Naruto had long ago vowed to not be bitter, or resentful.

Konoha was its people, and it was his duty to protect them, not hate them. Despite that he was well within his right to hate the villagers, Naruto knew he could not.

He grabbed a fresh notebook, binded by black leather. _On to the next one_ , he thought.

* * *

Sasuke was first to arrive at the Hokage's office less than a week later. The Sandaime hadn't mentioned the reason for the summonings in the message he received by a hawk. He was usually still asleep at this time, or up for an early training session with Naruto. Speaking of, the loud blond was not even here yet, even though he was usually the first to arrive.

Inwardly, he snorted, glad to outdo his friend.

The Hokage sat patiently, smoking his pipe and breezing through some paperwork. After completing a stack, the old man looked up.

"Please go look for your friend, Sasuke-kun," he ordered, sounding amused. Sasuke twitched. But he made no comment, and so he shunshinned away.

He arrived before Naruto's apartment door. Without knocking, he barged in.

The curtains were shut, leaving the living room only slightly lit. He opened them, thinking all the time, _why is the Dobe still asleep?_

Sasuke walked purposefully to the blond's room. He went straight in and looked to the bed where there was a bundle of unmoving mound rose almost unnoticeable, first from the disturbance that Sasuke created, then smaller movements. Peaceful breathing.

Sasuke huffed. He went up to Naruto and forcibly removed the cover. Naruto shot awake, sitting up and twisting around with bleary eyes. He blinked the sleep away and finally noticed Sasuke.

The Uchiha was not pleased.

"How come you were sleeping? We got a summons almost an hour ago!" he demanded. Naruto's eyes widened with surprise.

He scrambled around the room moments later, jumping into an acceptable outfit.

"I was up all night, reading," he said apologetically, then grabbed Sasuke's arm.

Sasuke found himself before the Sandaime once more. Naruto repeated the same excuse to his grandfather figure.

"Well, I called you here to make a request," Hiruzen began. "At the reports of many shinobi, including your brothers, I have decided to give you a promotion."

Sasuke saw excitement flash on the other's face. He became curious.

"You two will graduate from the genin rank to part of the ANBU force."

"Really!?" Sasuke sniggered at Naruto's outburst.

"Yes, do you accept?" the Hokage asked. He quickly nodded. Naruto did too, quite sporadically. He was grinning from ear to ear. Sasuke smiled too. They were one step further in their plans.

"ANBU Kitsune," Hiruzen passed a fox mask to Naruto, then turned to him. "ANBU Taka." A mask designed like a hawk was placed in Sasuke's hand. _I actually cannot believe it_ , he thought. He was hawk in ANBU and could summon Garuda, also a hawk.

"You will be part of a squad under ANBU Inu," the Sandaime went on. So, Kakashi's team. "Most of his team is retiring or being reassigned, so it will be you three as well as ANBU Itachi." Now Sasuke had to raise an eyebrow. An entire squad consisting of close family. But he didn't complain. The tight bond between them will make them stronger.

The Hokage had a new expression on his face. Smug and evil.

"You two are still confined to the village."

Sasuke was _not_ happy.

* * *

Post their induction into ANBU, the two time-travellers met up at Naruto's apartment. They did some housekeeping chores to pass the time, staying in a comfortable silence. All the while, they thought about a new possibility. The after-effects of their jump through time. When all was cleaned and sorted, they sat for lunch, indulging in some sushi.

"Last night," Naruto started, "it felt like my heart was dying. What do they call it? Heartburn, yes that's it."

Sasuke hummed. "I've been getting a lot of pins and needles lately," he added. They lingered in thoughtful quiet.

"I have too. It always happens after using chakra. Maybe our coils are stuffed?" Naruto concurred. "Also, my eye was restored using some of the Rikudo's chakra. I still had some left, though it should have disappeared when the war ended."

Sasuke nodded, utterly perplexed. If the Rikudo Sennin's chakra never left, then it is possible they have retained their powers. Sasuke still had the Rinnegan after all. Perhaps the chakra was lying dormant within them, mingling with their own and interrupting the flow. It was a highly plausible theory.

Sasuke accepted that as the explanation, though he still had some doubts. Nevertheless, he still prayed that whatever was festering in their coils would not worsen.

They avoided the missions desk entirely, swearing to not take a D-Rank mission. Instead, Naruto led Sasuke to the Forest of Death.

"It's technically part of Konoha," Naruto said, smirking. "And it's perfect for training."

The moment they entered the trees, the light dispersed. Naruto lifted his hitai-ate and the jungle of darkness became visible.

"I don't remember it being this dark," Naruto complained.

Sasuke faced him, eyes bleeding from coal to crimson as his Sharingan activated. "That's just this side of the Forest. It also happens to be the more dangerous district," he said monotonously.

"Cool."

They went in deeper, looking for prey they yet to come across.

A flurry of limbs and fur. The fight began.

Naruto dodged a clawed paw then launched into the air. He kicked out to the side, catching the monstrous tiger on the side of the head. As the feline tilted its head up to follow Naruto's movements, Sasuke took advantage. The Uchiha came underneath and sliced upwards with his katana. His precise aim met the belly. Blood sprayed out, littering the damp grass. Sasuke jumped to clear ground and turned just as the tiger collapsed.

It whimpered in pain, trying to get up again, only to stagger and stumble back down. Naruto finished off with a kunai in the neck, putting it out of its misery. He flinched at the last sound the tiger made, agony clear in its gurgled voice.

"Lunch?" he asked shakily. Sasuke shot a Katon jutsu at the corpse, fur and all. It shrivelled up beyond recognition, turning in on itself. Naruto faced the Uchiha with a patronising glare.

"A complete waste!" he cried out. Sasuke threw his arm up, taken aback by the negativity. Naruto sighed. "Let's look for more.

A few charred meals and piles of ashes later, and the two began to spar. Their powerful ninjutsu made the earth rumble, sounding like an earthquake to all surrounding, and most definitely feeling like it too. Their training today was a success.

* * *

 _Beneath the surface in an unknown country…_

"It is going exactly as you have seen, Kami-sama," said a man, forehead pressed against the cold marble as he bowed deeply.

An eerie presence filled the room of indiscernible size. It was dimly lit by evenly spaced fire pits along the walls. It was a long room, that much was certain. The great space was lined with columns, also made from marble. A holy, creepy place, fitting for a holy, creepy being.

The so-called Kami was seated upon a great throne. The throne had a back that reached far up, probably into the ceiling, if there was one. The figure on the throne was shrouded in the shadows. Whoever his servants were, the followers he had, no one could see him truly. He sat there, an imposing figure lording over subservient humans. The name of Kami that had been bestowed upon him was fitting.

The man that bowed before him seemed to shrink in on himself. This was one of the weaker of his followers, merely a messenger. Fear had no place among the best of his ranks, the true warriors.

Kami chuckled, the sound echoing off the walls and sending the messenger into an even deeper bundle. Veneration, reverence, glorification of himself. Kami lounged on his self-proclaimed throne. The petrified man squeaked out affirmation when he spoke his dismissal, all but sprinting from the room.

This fresh news, however brief the information was, served to amuse him quite a bit. He enjoyed this little game, a game of cat and mouse that they did not know about. Nevertheless, the two were a part of it, no matter what they would do to escape. He was the cat, they were the mice. He had the power, they did not.

After all, he was Kami, the strongest in the universe. What were they but mere mortals. Not the weakest in the world, he decided, but they could never match up to him. He grinned, excited by the next move to come in this game. They were going right where he wanted them to, in the direction of his trap. Soon, he would have them.

Kami called out, his booming voice rising through the adjacent halls and chambers. "Ai," he acknowledged the warrior crouching before him. He was a member of Kami's elite, his most trusted group of warriors.

Ai was in his late teens and very small. He looked starved and weak. He wore deep crimson robes that fell in a long bundle behind him. The thin fabric did not conceal his tiny frame. His head was down, startling green eyes on the floor. He had his deep black hair in a braid ending at his mid-back, resting next to two sheathed blades. The blades were short, around half the size of a standard katana.

Kami spoke again, "I have received the news I've been waiting for." He watched as Ai let a crooked smile cross his sharp face. Narrowed eyes dared look up.

"Contact Akatsuki. They must make the first move and begin the hunt of the Jinchuriki," he ordered. "The Juubi must be revived. The two need to be destroyed. _He_ made a mistake in choosing them."

As Ai left the chamber with a hurried walk, Kami chuckled once more. " _Guides_? There is no such thing. The world is meant to war and I shall make it so."

* * *

Sasuke never felt so relieved as when Kakashi finally returned from his mission. They weren't confined to the village any longer! Naruto jumped and cheered raucously beside him. The blonde ran to his adopted brother.

"Hurry up! We need to go to the Hokage!" he yelled impatiently.

"Hai, hai," Kakashi sighed exasperatedly. The three of them took to the rooftops, sprinting over in a rush. Kakashi looked worse for wear, but Sasuke knew that the Hatake could fight for many days straight if he wanted. This must feel like nothing to him.

The Sandaime, it seemed, had expected them to be there.

Kakashi stepped forward, "Mission completed, Hokage-sama." He handed over his report and went back to their side.

"Good job, Kakashi," the Hokage said. "I have created your new ANBU squad, consisting of Itachi, Kitsune, Hawk and yourself. You are the captain, as expected."

Kakashi nodded affirmatively, already guessing the identities of the new members. Sasuke could tell from the way he looked at him and Naruto.

"You have one week of recess, then a week of training together to build your teamwork. I want a full report from each of you at the end of the two weeks. Sasuke, relay this to your brother."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Sasuke dipped his head respectfully.

"After that, you will be assigned your first mission as ANBU Squad Zero," the Hokage finished.


End file.
